Encountering the King
The King Is Coming • Sermon • Submitted
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· 77 viewsAs Mary and Joseph follow the Mosaic Law concerning purification and circumcision, they are met by two elderly individuals who have been waiting for the coming of the Messiah.
Notes
Transcript
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Lord of mercy and joy, You have given to us the blessing of your Son Jesus who will make known your presence, forgiveness, and love to each one of us. Be with us this day and keep our hearts and minds open to receive your love and peace. Enable each of us to be people of joy and hope as we encounter others. We ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Songs:
PG - “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
Bailey - “God of Wonders,” “How Great Is Our God”
Pastoral Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
God of mystery and love, help us move from the sweet experience of the birth of the Christ Child into the reality of the powerful witness of Jesus who will be Messiah for us all. Remind us again that this season is not about bows and boxes, feasts and family; it is about preparing us, your people, for a mission and ministry of hope and peace for this aching and angry world. Empower us to be people of great faith, placing our trust in you, believing that peace is not only possible, it truly can happen if we will work with you and with one another. As we have spoken in our hearts and with our voices, our concerns for those near and dear to us, remind us that you hear these prayers and you respond with love to each one. Let us be in prayer with one another, for one another, for our church and our community, for our nation and our world, for all earth’s people and creatures, that we may be those who promote peace. Give us courage and strength. Help us reach across areas that divide, offering compassionate assistance wherever it is needed. Bless each one of us in your service, for we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Songs:
PG - “God of Wonders”
Bailey - “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever”
Scripture Reading
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Introduction
Over the last several weeks, we have been talking about the fact that we have some important company coming when Jesus arrives. Throughout Advent, we talk about getting ready and making ourselves available when the Messiah arrives.
Well, he has arrived and now we have to look at how we respond to the fact that the King has come into the world. We do that by looking at the verses that proceed right after our text from Christmas Eve in Luke 2. After a forty day period of staying in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph go to Jerusalem about five miles away to the temple. There, they go through the ritual of purification for Mary after childbirth and the dedication of the firstborn son. In the process, there are two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, who have both been waiting for the coming of the King. They are examples of what do when we are waiting. But they are also examples of how we respond to the King’s coming. Their words and reactions give us ways that we can receive this coming King into our lives today and what it truly means for us.
So today, as we conclude this sermon series on the coming King, we are going to look at what changes in our lives and how we can now go and live differently in the world because the King has come.
When we encounter the King, we are made holy and righteous. (vs. 22-24)
When we encounter the King, we are made holy and righteous. (vs. 22-24)
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Jesus’ presentation at the temple follows the Mosaic Law. All that takes place in these few verses are part of adhering to the purification laws and the holiness code that was part of every Jewish families experience.
Jesus is dedicated at the temple and Mary is purified after childbirth are two separate ceremonies, but both point to the importance of being holy and righteous before God.
Mary’s cleansing
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying:
If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. 5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days.
6 When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, male or female. 8 If she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean.
Jesus’ dedication and the dedication of the firstborn son to God
2 Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.
12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s. 13 But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem. 14 When in the future your child asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall answer, ‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”
The fact that Mary and Joseph follow these laws is extremely important in the context of Jesus’ ministry later on. He is accused by the religious authorities of not following the law, but Luke goes out of his way to show that indeed Jesus is a follower of the law.
Why is this important for us? We are called to be a holy and righteous people. However, we are unable to do that on our own. We cannot be holy and righteous based on our actions. Therefore, there must be a sacrifice made on our behalf. In our scripture today, that comes in the form of two turtle doves that are sacrificed for the purification of Mary. Our purification comes through Jesus. Our calling to be holy because God is holy is based on the fact that God expects us to be a holy and righteous people.
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Early Church Believers Distinguished by Their New Life
I see many after their baptism living more carelessly than the uninitiated, and having nothing peculiar to distinguish them in their way of life. It is, you see, for this cause that neither in the market nor in the Church is it possible to know quickly who is a believer and who an unbeliever, unless one be present at the time of the mysteries and see the one sort put out, the others remaining within. On the contrary they ought to be distinguished not by their place, but by their way of life. For as men’s outward dignities are naturally to be discovered by the outward signs with which they are invested, so ours ought to be discernible by the soul. That is, the believer ought to be manifest not by the gift only, but also by the new life.
JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Modern Church A Gracious Work of God
Sanctification is a gracious work of God, whereby in a supernatural way He gradually divests from sin the inclinations and dispositions of the regenerate and clothes them with holiness.
But we are sinners and need redemption.
When we encounter the King, we see our salvation. (vs. 25-35)
When we encounter the King, we see our salvation. (vs. 25-35)
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
9 and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,
v25-27. At the temple there lived a godly man named Simeon. He was waiting for the dawning of the kingdom of God - "the consolation of Israel". The Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he saw the messiah. He now sees the fulfillment of this promise, and, in the power of the Spirit, utters a prophecy concerning Jesus.
v28-32. The words of Simeon's prayer are filled with joy. He thanks God that in his old age he has seen the fulfillment of God's promise to him; he has seen the messiah and so now his watching for the Lord is at an end. The Messiah will save his people, but not only will this salvation be for Israel, it will be for the Gentiles as well, Isa.49:6, Ac.1:8, Rom.15:8ff.
v33. Joseph and Mary are perplexed by all this attention.
v34-35. The prophecy of Simeon is in stark contrast to his prayer. Although messiah will bring "glory" to Israel, he will not be welcomed by all of Israel. He will bring division such that some will fall and some will rise - not all will stand with him. Those against him will attack him such that he will be a suffering messiah. This conflict will both drive people to a decision which will expose the hidden self, and will bring anguish to Mary.
45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
This goes even deeper. When a son was brought to the temple for dedication, the family could pay a ransom to the priest and redeem the child from his “belonging to God” status. It was typically five shekels. We find this in
15 The first issue of the womb of all creatures, human and animal, which is offered to the Lord, shall be yours; but the firstborn of human beings you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 Their redemption price, reckoned from one month of age, you shall fix at five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary (that is, twenty gerahs).
However, we do not find that Mary and Joseph do this. Instead, they dedicate Jesus to the Lord. Whats more, he becomes our redemption and pays our price for sin.
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Reformation Christ Is the Righteousness of Believers
Christ is now the righteousness of all those who truly do believe in him. He for them paid their ransom by his death. He for them fulfilled the law in his life. So that now in him, and by him, every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the law, since that which their infirmity lacks, Christ’s justice has supplied.
THOMAS CRANMER
When we encounter the King, we praise His holy Name. (vs. 36-40)
When we encounter the King, we praise His holy Name. (vs. 36-40)
36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
v36-38. Anna, a prophetess, devout in her service to the Lord in prayer and fasting, gives thanks to God on meeting Jesus. To those waiting for the coming of the kingdom ("looking forward to the redemption of Israel"), she speaks about Jesus, obviously in the context of the kingdom's coming in Jesus.
The response of worship in the presence of the king is important for us.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Conclusion
The essence of who we are as followers of Christ means that we are constantly encountering him. Just because Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the Father does not mean that we do not encounter him. We have a decision that we have to make when we encounter him in our daily lives - are we going to be a people who live the holy and sanctified life given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross? Or are we going to go on living in this world without any purpose or meaning?
God has given us that purpose and meaning in Christ. He is worthy of our worship and praise.
Closing Song:
PG - “Shine Jesus Shine”
Bailey - “All Hail King Jesus”
Benediction
Benediction
We have been given the Great Light, which has come into the world. This light of peace and hope, joy and love, shines on us, in us, and through us, to all whom we meet. Go now in peace, and let the light of God’s great love go with you. AMEN.